drunk officer kills motorcyclist

[eldirector]

Let's assume that this cop even did a one time bender like that. What time did his shift start? Did he have to report to a meeting for the beginning of the shift? How many other officers did he interact with face to face before the accident? I don't know if you guys hop in your car at home and immediately go on patrol or if you have to report to your station or what.

It may have been mentioned here, but from a news report this morning, it appears that he was home and just leaving for work when he was called to assist another officer. I think he dropped his kid off at school//daycare and then responded to a call before heading in to the "office".

 

[BE Mike]

I'm not comparing us, or anybody to Nazi Germany, nice try. I'm merely pointing out, in that case, that millions of Jews were murdered because someone in authority wanted it done, and plenty of people blindly carried it out.

My point is that I think you are trying to equate distrust of authority with complete disrespect for authority, and they are not the same thing. People given power should be kept on the tightest leash possible, and watched very closely.

Actually, it was you, not I who made the comparison. You are incorrect in your assumption that I consider distrust of government the same as disrespect for authority. I believe in the old maxim that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely". I also support certain groups who are watchdogs of our government. I believe that we can and need to always be vigilant of our rights.

I also believe that most law enforcement officers to be doing their jobs in good faith, and try to be a benefit to the citizens and communities in which they serve. It is not a good thing to judge all of them on the improper acts of a very few.

I suspect that if this officer is found guilty, that he will be appropriately dealt with. I have faith that justice will prevail.

 

[MinuteMan47]

Maybe I missed it... But what happened with the officer RIGHT AFTER the [STRIKE]accident[/STRIKE] incident?


(You can't really call it an ACCIDENT if he was aware of the consequences and could have prevented it by chosing not to drive.)

 

[long coat]

I think the paper said he took his kids someplace around 8am, went home and changed cloths, then raidoed in the was on the clock.

I want to know if he stopped anyone before the wreck and what did they see & smell.

 

[E5RANGER375]

I think the paper said he took his kids someplace around 8am, went home and changed cloths, then raidoed in the was on the clock.

I want to know if he stopped anyone before the wreck and what did they see & smell.

he probly drove drunk with his kids too, and it probly wasnt the first time. im sure the wife knew there was a problem. he should get supervised visitations with his kids, but no unsupervised visits.

 

[E5RANGER375]

If his fellow officers and superiors knew he had a problem and chose to do nothing, I feel they should bear some responsibility. Not necessarily legally but morally.

It used to be quite popular in the Army several years ago to go out partying all night before and literally changing from your bar clothes in to your PT's and going straight to formation still drunk.

I believe they should lose their jobs. They are charged with enforcing the law and protecting people, even on their own kind. If its proven that they were neglagent then i wanna see them punished too. The officer is probly been drunk ever since this happened if hes an alcoholic. you cant just stop overnight and function if your into it that far. I dont imagine it will all fully set in for him until he sobers up in prison.

Yep, still happens, and i never had respect for those kind of soldiers either.

 

[downzero]

Maybe I missed it... But what happened with the officer RIGHT AFTER the [strike]accident[/strike] incident?


(You can't really call it an ACCIDENT if he was aware of the consequences and could have prevented it by chosing not to drive.)

He was taken to an occupational health center where two tubes of blood were taken from him. It was later determined that his BAC was .19.

 

[downzero]

Sorry there Billy BadAss...

The point was that HE (a LEO) was NEGLIGENT in his duties and caused the DEATH of an INNOCENT person. I apologize for not going to law school and knowing the difference between murder and homicide off the top of my head. Next time I will be sure to research before I post.

As a LEO he KNEW the risks and possible consequences associated with drinking and driving...He still thought about it and chose to get behind the wheel and killed someone as a result...premeditated?

There may not be a difference. Every murder is a homicide. Every homicide isn't a murder. You're wrong in this instance because this homicide is not a murder.

I have not gone to law school to learn the difference. A dictionary could do you some good.

I'd say calling this conduct negligent is too nice. Reckless and criminal is more like it.

 

[XMil]

Actually, it was you, not I who made the comparison. You are incorrect in your assumption that I consider distrust of government the same as disrespect for authority. I believe in the old maxim that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely". I also support certain groups who are watchdogs of our government. I believe that we can and need to always be vigilant of our rights.

I also believe that most law enforcement officers to be doing their jobs in good faith, and try to be a benefit to the citizens and communities in which they serve. It is not a good thing to judge all of them on the improper acts of a very few.

I suspect that if this officer is found guilty, that he will be appropriately dealt with. I have faith that justice will prevail.

I never compared the two, I only mentioned them in the same sentence. That's a sidebar thought that I'm getting tired of.

My post had zero to do with this case (aka it was a threadjack). This particular case IMHO has nothing to do with misuse of authority, it looks like its a case of one person that did something stupid. If I thought it was something worse, I sure wouldn't be shy about coming right to the point.

 

[Fargo]

also maybe they already worked all that out when they released the numbers? so maybe they calculated he was at .19 during the accident?

either way its rediculous. any idea if he's out of court or what happened today?

Very unlikely, Indiana has a statutory 3 hour window after driving in which your BAC at the time of test is presumed to be your BAC at time of driving.

Joe

 

[1032JBT]

You might want to check your definition of murder again. I'm not sticking up for this guy, but what he did is not a murder outside of TV. Homicide is not the same thing as murder. Learn the difference.



Care to explain this?

I'll let you read for yourself:


Garrity Warning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Knife Lady]

A police officer who drives drunk on or off duty and kills someone by running into or over them. Now the comparison to a Doctor

How would you feel if a Doctor was to perform surgery and or even just examine a patient under the influence of alcohol?

He should never be able to practice medicine again. Yes a polce office and a Doctor are humans but the public as well as themselves should hold them in a higher status just due to their professions and the oathes they take. Wrong is wrong there is no middle. How could he not see those motorcycles sitting there? He has hurt and messed up a lot of lives.
He was not a fine example of the law thats for sure.
Just btw I dont have a problem with authority but I do have a problem with people who have authority and take advantage of it or who ignores the laws that they are supposed to enforce. This is not what any Police Department needs or wants.

 

[Benny]

he probly drove drunk with his kids too, and it probly wasnt the first time. im sure the wife knew there was a problem. he should get supervised visitations with his kids, but no unsupervised visits.

Lets all hope he's going to be getting 24 hour supervision for a long time to come.

Unless he dropped his kids off and pounded half of a fifth between then and when he radioed in, he definitely endangered his kids.

I don't know if I feel more mad or sad about that...How pathetic can one person get?

 

[MinuteMan47]

There may not be a difference. Every murder is a homicide. Every homicide isn't a murder. You're wrong in this instance because this homicide is not a murder.

I have not gone to law school to learn the difference. A dictionary could do you some good.

I'd say calling this conduct negligent is too nice. Reckless and criminal is more like it.

Wow, you sound like my wife with the nit-picking.

...like I said, the officer KNEW the consequences and risks associated with drinking and driving, most LEOs have been on the scene of a DUI accident where there has been a death. So, in my OPINION...he commited premeditated murder.

 

[Denny347]

I will withhold judgment until a court finding. I am hoping to have a few questions answered during the course of the trial. How does a social drinker become functional at .19 BAC without us around him knowing? If he was drunk, how does a trained Fatal Alcohol Crash Team not detect alcohol (and they are from several different departments so there is no IMPD conspiracy)? The nurse swabbed Dave's arm for the blood draw with ALCOHOL, not Betadine . BIG NO NO. Why? Because the alcohol in the swab affects the blood sample. Only time will reveal the truth (ugly or not) and maybe I will have a few answers. I will pronounce him guilty when he either pleads guilty or is found guilty. Until then, I withhold my judgment.

 

[serpicostraight]

wonder how many other people have been swabbed with alchohol and are found guilty? are there any reports on this? any statistics to show how much that would affect the test results? can a guilty verdict be overturned on this? if he walks on a technicality can everybody else?

 

[Denny347]

wonder how many other people have been swabbed with alchohol and are found guilty? are there any reports on this? any statistics to show how much that would affect the test results? can a guilty verdict be overturned on this? if he walks on a technicality can everybody else?

I dono. I do know that there have been successful challenges to blood draws because of this. Any DUI attorney in the city looks for this first when taking a DUI case involving a blood draw. I have always used Wishard Hospital and the ER nurses are great about using a Betadine solution and 2 gray-topped vials (they have the blood preservative) for the blood. I have done many many blood draws (I used to work DUI Taskforce and an quite well versed in DUI laws). This blood draw took place at a MedCheck, not sure how many DUI blood draws they have done (they are VERY different than health screening blood draws for legal reasons).

 

[E5RANGER375]

and we begin to see how he could possibly weezle out of this. No offense to Denny, I appreciate the candor.

 

[Benny]

I will withhold judgment until a court finding. I am hoping to have a few questions answered during the course of the trial. How does a social drinker become functional at .19 BAC without us around him knowing? If he was drunk, how does a trained Fatal Alcohol Crash Team not detect alcohol (and they are from several different departments so there is no IMPD conspiracy)? The nurse swabbed Dave's arm for the blood draw with ALCOHOL, not Betadine . BIG NO NO. Why? Because the alcohol in the swab affects the blood sample. Only time will reveal the truth (ugly or not) and maybe I will have a few answers. I will pronounce him guilty when he either pleads guilty or is found guilty. Until then, I withhold my judgment.

1. What does him becoming functional at .19 without people around him knowing have to do with holding judgement?

2. Would it be possible for someone with 0.0% in their system fail a blood test by .19% just by swabbing the arm with alcohol? Nix that; .14%?(because you can get a DUI at .05% or over, correct?)

3. How do we know that his arm was swabbed with alcohol(or how does the report know)?

 

[Benny]

and we begin to see how he could possibly weezle out of this. No offense to Denny, I appreciate the candor.

Wow, what a travesty if he does.